Spin Master’s new dino-might

Inside Spin Master Entertainment's action show based on a dinosaur-themed comic book series from the creator of The Walking Dead.

So how do you build on the momentum of a global smash hit featuring a group of go-getter rescue dogs? With dinosaurs, of course. At least that’s the plan for Toronto’s Spin Master Entertainment, which is following up preschool juggernaut PAW Patrol with a new boys action series called Super Dinosaur.

Notably, Spin Master went big on the creative front for Super Dinosaur, nabbing one of the hottest comic book writers around, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. The show is based on a comic book series by Kirkman and Jason Howard, and its design is built directly on Kirkman’s original artwork. (Vancouver-based studio Atomic Cartoons is handling the CGI animation.)

As for the story, its eponymous hero is a walking, talking, armored-up T-Rex. With robotic arms and his best friend Derek, Super Dinosaur works continually to save the world from a group of mutated dinos and their evil leader, Max Maximus. “The tone is very action-adventure, with lots of comedy and heart,” said Jennifer Dodge, EVP of Spin Master. “The relationship between Super Dinosaur and Derek is more like brothers than friends, and their relationship forms the foundation of the series.”

And Corus Entertainment is not missing out on this one. The media co has snapped up Canadian broadcast rights for the series for the six-to-11 age group. Dodge adds that Spin Master is currently looking for additional broadcast partners, with plans for a global rollout starting with English- and French-speaking territories in 2018.

Dodge notes that the property is a natural fit for the traditional boys action aisle, and a consumer products program is also in the works that will launch with toys from Spin Master. It will then expand into additional categories as global distribution plans are firmed up.

“Spin Master Entertainment has two of the most successful preschool properties in the world with Rusty Rivets and PAW Patrol,” Dodge said. But she recalls that before it became a preschool powerhouse, Spin Master was best known for its work on boys action properties like Bakugan.

“Super Dinosaur is, in a way, a return to our roots,” Dodge contends. And, she said, the collaboration with Kirkman speaks to Spin Master’s commitment to working with best-in-class creatives as the company continues to build out its entertainment division into new genres and formats, including feature films.